Spring Tips for Home Maintenance
Spring home maintenance is a must to protect and beautify your most important investment- your home. Everyone knows that they need to fertilize their lawn, but equal attention needs to be paid to your home, says Jeff Caruso, president of Caruso Homes. Winter weather, ice formations, the freeze-thaw cycles and heavy winds are tough on our home's exterior, making Spring the ideal time to avoid dreaded molds by making sure your home's exterior is sealed properly. It's also a good time to make sure downspouts are flowing freely and that splash blocks are in place and draining water away from the house. A properly sloped yard is the best way to keep the sump pump from working overtime and your basement dry. Spring is also a good time to check that roof shingles are accounted for and laying flat, that siding and trim are secure, and that exterior windows and doors are caulked properly. Any vent, pipe or wire penetration from the exterior of the home should be caulked for a tight seal. Also inspect wood exterior features such as trim, as it may be time to add a coat of paint to protect from costly deterioration. Other areas to focus on include changing filters on your heating system and making sure your air conditioner is fully charged. If you encounter a problem on the first scorching day, you may wait weeks to get a busy service contractor to your home. Caruso Homes reminds homeowners to ventilate crawl spaces, chase mice out of the garage and attic areas, test smoke detectors and clean windows and sliding glass door tracks. Homeowners should also caulk bathrooms, tubs and sinks and undertake a thorough cleaning of the grill before your first cookout. For more information, visit www.carusohomes.com. |
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